Hulk

"The worst thing that can happen to a player is being deprived of play. Our joy is to train during the week and we spill it all to end the week with games. Unfortunately, I was punished for three months and a few more days without being able to play, just training." - Hulk

They don't call Brazilian striker Givanildo Vieira de Souza "Hulk" because he's been accidentally exposed to some Gamma rays that induce his ferocious alter ego, though, that would explain a lot. The short, stocky and powerful up-and-comer bears a striking resemblance to actor Lou Ferrigno, who played the comic book hero on television. He also has a short fuse, demonstrated by a now infamous 2009 tunnel brawl that saw the Porto star receive a four-match ban. If the mighty Hulk can keep his temper locked down, and harness the talent that led to UEFA naming him one of its top 10 rising stars, then Brazil has a good shot at living up to its No. 1 FIFA ranking by winning this summer's World Cup.

MAGNETISM

Hulk like girl as long as girl don't make Hulk mad. Hulk take girl to food with money Hulk make from kicking ball into big hole. Hulk no look like Beckham man but Hulk very nice when not angry and not kicking ball. Give Hulk chance. If not make Hulk sad.

SUCCESS

Hulk's path to international stardom was unlike any other. Instead of emerging in his native Brazil and heading directly to Europe's top ranks, Hulk emigrated to Japan where he starred for Kawasaki Frontale, Consadole Sapporo and Tokyo Verdy 1969, racking up impressive goals-to-games ratios at all three. It was only a matter of time before his impressive skills were noticed by the European elite, and in 2008 Hulk moved to the defending Portuguese league champions FC Porto. Hulk's impact with the club was felt immediately, as Porto went on to win the Portuguese League, Portuguese Cup and the Portuguese Supercup. His stellar performances in the Champions League saw him land on UEFA's Top 10 Rising Stars list as well. Though he has yet to make a serious impact with Brazil's national team, coach Dunga summoned Hulk for a recent friendly against England and Oman. Don't be surprised if the passionate striker uses the grandest stage of all this summer as his coming out party.

Hulk Biography

Hulk was born on July 26th, 1986, in Campina Grande, Brazil, and like most young boys in his country, began playing football at an early age. He made his professional debut with Esporte Clube Vitoria in his native Brazil, but failed to catch the attention of any major clubs both locally or in Europe. So Hulk decided to try his luck in Japan, a bold move that paid off in spades. While in the Land of the Rising Sun, Hulk starred for three clubs, including Kawasaki Frontale, Consadole Sapporo and Tokyo Verdy 1969, where his green uniform gave rise to his now famous nickname. In 55 league appearances, Hulk scored 44 goals, which was motivation enough for Portugal's Porto to invest 6 million Euros to bring the powerful striker to Europe in 2008.

hulk stars with porto

When Hulk arrived at Porto he knew that, at least initially, his playing time would be limited with the presence of Porto's proven trio of strikers in Lisandro Lopez, Cristian Rodriguez and Tarik Sektioui. But when Sektioui went down with an injury, Hulk received an opportunity to start, and seized it in a big way. In his official debut at his home field, Hulk introduced the crowd to his booming shot by injuring his own teammate who had been used as a decoy in the wall of a free kick, and then by rifling a bullet into the top corner of the net from 25 meters out. Though Hulk quickly developed a reputation for being a selfish player -- concerned only with getting to the net instead of involving his teammates -- the more time he spent in Europe, the more complete his game became.

the big clubs come calling

By now Hulk had become Porto's star attraction, meaning that Europe's biggest clubs would soon come calling. Even after an ugly incident in which Hulk attacked some stewards in a tunnel following a game against Benfica, and Hulk received a three-month ban, Manchester United and Arsenal still showed interest in the striker. Though Hulk's release clause is the highest in all of Portugal at €100 million, Porto is said to be willing to part with its star for as little as €20 million. According to Hulk's agent, a move to the Premiership could be in the works as early as this summer. Don't look now, England: The Incredible Hulk may be coming to a stadium near you.

hulk looks to make an impact in south africa

With superstars like Kaka, top-ranked Brazil is unquestionably one of the deepest teams going into the 2010 World Cup, so Hulk may be hard-pressed to find quality minutes among such talent. But even though his international experience is limited -- having only played in a few friendlies -- coach Dunga may rely on the speedy forward if his top guns don't execute. This is the stage where stars are born, and Hulk may just be first in line this summer in South Africa.